The Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of the Customs Department has thwarted a significant drug smuggling attempt at Pune International Airport, confiscating hydroponic cannabis worth an estimated Rs 5.42 crore in the international market.
The accused, a 32-year-old passenger from Bangkok, landed in Pune on Air India Express flight IX-241 on Wednesday evening. Acting on specific intelligence, customs officials kept the passenger under surveillance before stopping him for a thorough inspection.
Upon examining his luggage, officers found five toy cartons stuffed with hydroponic weed. The drugs had been meticulously wrapped in carbon paper, allegedly to bypass airport scanning equipment. In total, around 5.5 kilograms of the banned substance were recovered.
Officials pegged the value of the seized contraband at approximately Rs 5.42 crore. The passenger has been taken into custody under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.
Additional Commissioner of Customs Rahul Gawande said the department had received a tip-off earlier regarding the smuggling attempt. According to him, the team was tracking the suspect’s movements. Gawande said that strict action would continue against individuals attempting to establish narcotics networks in Pune.
Further investigations are currently underway to ascertain whether the accused has links to a larger drug trafficking syndicate.
